My Mom Entered a Contract Marriage - Chapter 12

Looking back, the bluebloods were rather interested in Lilica, even during Ludia’s previous life. At that time, they’d only thought that the plain Lilica was quite peculiar.

‘Now that I think about it, that wasn’t it. They’re quick-witted.’

Lydia smiled as she let go of the suffocating Lilica.

“Since it’s a request from Lily, I’d obviously have to do it.”

The way her daughter savoured those words was also very lovely.

Only people with eyes can recognise her graceful affection and firm mildness for the treasures they are.

“Mom will become rich soon. Then I’ll be able to buy anything that Lily wants.”

“Rich?”

Some unease seeped into Lilica’s voice. Ludia nodded.

“Yes, Mom has found a great place to invest in.”

“What kind of investment is it?”

“He’s a person called Uva, and he’s searching for someone to invest in his expedition team. He’d just left a little while ago. Lily would have enjoyed listening to his story, too.”

“Expedition team?”

“Yes.”

When Ludia nodded, Lilica became uneasy. An expedition team.

Ludia spoke frankly.

“Although I’ve been told here and there that he’s a fraud, he’s actually an honest person.”

“What?”

“That’s because of the way he dresses, but you don’t have to worry.”

Unease suddenly struck her like a stormy cloud, and Lilica asked quietly.

“In that case, how much did you invest?”

“All of the advance payment.”

“!!”

Upon seeing her daughter’s surprised, rabbit-like face, Ludia reassured her.

“You really don’t have to worry. Just trust in Mom.”

Lilica couldn’t bear to say, ‘That’s what that is most unreliable.’

She mumbled and jumped up from her seat.

“I’ll go talk to him personally.”

“You? Alright. He hasn’t left the palace yet, so if you summon him now—”

“No, I’ll go and meet him.”

In other words, she wasn’t going to give the swindler time to prepare.

When her daughter ran out quickly saying that she would make a sudden attack, Ludia nodded at that sight.

“Sure, you can do that.”

“Yes.”

Lilica rushed out, intending to regain her mother’s investment from Uva. With a swift greeting, Brynn followed suit.

Ludia laughed quietly, “Oh dear.” It was nice to see her daughter being full of vigour and vitality.

While Uva might become confused,

‘If it’s that tongue, he’ll understand and persuade her.’

His flamboyant way of narrating might have played a part in being called a swindler.

However, the man that was called a swindler would soon become a legend amongst expedition teams.

The empire was very large, but there was much larger land that hadn’t been pioneered.

On one side was an endless desert where criminals and fugitives lived, and this place existed on the other side.

An unknown land where human-eating monsters live, where compasses, constellations, and even the rising sun were absolutely useless.

There was a sea of trees there.

The Sea of Trees.

But the Sea of Trees was a repository of novel items.

Rare spices and plants were brought out from the Sea of Trees and were sold at exorbitant prices.

Therefore, many people set up expedition teams that travelled towards the Sea of Trees, but there were many people that didn’t return.

Therefore, it cost a lot to set up an expedition team, and the patronage of the aristocrats was essential.

Uva also wandered around, trying to gain the aristocracy’s patronage, but everyone thought he was a swindler.

After being rejected by the aristocracy, he was the first to receive a joint investment from the commoners and returned with tremendous achievements.

Ever since then, expedition teams that were funded by joint investment became prevalent, but that’s none of Ludia’s business.

She intended to invest all of her money in Uva.

No matter what she did, Lilica didn’t believe in her, and that was largely her own fault.

Ludia intended to obtain great successes a few times and instil trust in her mother.

When she stood up and approached the window, she spotted the running Lilica. Ludia couldn’t help but laugh.

She summarised several important incidents that were about to occur.

She was currently busy stabilising her position in aristocratic society.

Whenever she attended parties, she wore something that’s clearly different.

The bustle faction and the crinoline faction.

It was evident that the crinoline faction were part of the aristocratic faction, and wouldn’t be influenced by an empress that appeared out of nowhere.

‘That’s also their loss.’

In any case, the next time a fire occurs in the Grand Theater, women wearing crinolines wouldn’t be able to escape and burn to ashes.

Afterwards, the bustle dress trend would take root completely, and she, as the current empress, would have artificially advanced the trends.

‘Well, I can’t just let them burn to ashes though.’

She racked her brains and came up with various plans. She took out a new sheet of stationery.

* * *

There was only one way to leave the palace, so as she dashed through the garden, Brynn spoke behind her, “The imperial family walks, they don’t run,” but Lilica thought that she didn’t have to be a member of the imperial family now.

She managed to catch up with him in no time.

“Wait! Stop!”

The man that was walking down the corridor with an attendant stopped in surprise. Lilica took deep gulps of air.

The attendant next to him bowed his head and gave his greetings.

“I greet Her Highness the Princess.”

Startled, the man took off his flashy feathered hat and bowed.

“I greet Her Highness the Princess.”

“You’re Uva, aren’t you?”

Lilica folded her arms and spoke in the sharpest voice she could manage.

“Yes.”

“Let’s chat for a moment.”

“I see.”

As Uva answered politely, Lilica became puzzled at his flashy outfit.

It was an attire that she’s never seen in a palace before.

His face was neat, he held a triangular hat that had flashy feathers attached to it, and the clothes he wore were also quite flamboyant.

His hair was braided in thin strands and beads were attached, but should she describe it?

“A theatre actor?”

Although she has never seen a play before, he was like the theatre actors that were painted in a mural.

‘You really look like a swindler.’

Lilica’s eyes narrowed as she felt his credibility that didn’t exist plunge into the negatives.

Brynn gave the attendant a meaningful glance, indicating for him to take his leave. With a swift greeting, the attendant shuffled out of the corridor.

Lilica spoke bluntly.

“I just heard that my mother promised you an investment.”

“Y, yes, you’re right.”

Uva didn’t expect to meet the princess, the topic of the empire, so even though he knew he shouldn’t make eye contact, he had to steal a glimpse.

However, the words that came out of the Princess’s mouth sounded like a bolt from the blue.

“There’s a lot of rumours that you’re a swindler. You must have swindled my soft-hearted mother.”

Lilica stamped her feet like an angry lamb.

“Go and inform Mother of the truth right away.”

At those words that were spoken with a glare, Uva hastily opened his mouth.

“Please wait a minute, Princess. What do you mean, a swindler? This is unfair. If the Princess would listen to my story, you’d know that I’m speaking the truth.”

Uva earnestly appealed. It was a financial backer that he’d managed to gain after much difficulty, so he couldn’t just lose it like this.

At those words that were filled with desperation, Lilica fell into contemplation for a moment.

Even Lilica found that throwing him out without listening to him was going too far.

She spoke in a rather solemn voice.

“Alright, then. Let’s listen to your story first.”

“Thank you, Princess.”

Uva gulped down his saliva and bowed his head continuously.

Brynn persuaded her, saying.

“Princess, instead of doing this here, listen to his story inside.”

“No, I want to listen while we stroll outside. It’s fine if we take a stroll, right?

“Of course.”

Lilica didn’t want to invite him into a room. She thought that it’d be more painful to kick him out in that situation.

If they conversed while taking a stroll in the garden, she could say, “As expected of a swindler,” after he was done and go straight to her mother to tell her?

Lilica and Uva began to walk side by side. Uva cleared his throat and began talking.

“I’ve already been through the Sea of Trees three times. During the first time, I lost all of my colleagues.”

The story of his adventures began like that, captivating Lilica at once.

Uva was eloquent, and by the time he had finished his story, Lilica was tearing up.

“I see. I didn’t even know about that and thought that Uva was a swindler.”

Uva smiled. He knelt on the garden’s dirt ground.

“Thank you for crying for me like this. Please, Princess, please take back the words that you’d spoken previously. I’ll definitely return.”

Lilica sniffed.

“Yes, I understand.”

With an exhale, she took out the silver coin that’s in her pouch.

It was an old, stained silver coin that contained all her dreams.

She held it out to Uva and said.

“I’ll also invest in Uva. It’s not much though.”

Lilica smiled as she explained what happened in the slums.

In his heart, Uva could feel the weight of the silver coin that fell into his palm.

“You truly believe in my words.”

Words came out of his mouth unknowingly. Uva looked at the silver coin.

“Isn’t it because you’re telling the truth?”

At Lilica’s words, he jerked his head upwards and looked at the little princess.

‘They look alike.’

It might be natural for her to take after her mother, but they looked very similar.

In order to find an investor, Uva entered several aristocratic families here and there.

Later on, the door was slammed in his face, saying that he was a fraud, or that they’d laugh and say that they wanted to listen to a story, and to make it more interesting.

“I called you because I wanted to hear that story. Wow, why don’t you just become a theatre actor?”

He chuckled. He was rumoured to be a good storyteller, so he was paid for the story and dismissed.

He lost hope, and above all, miserable.

He didn’t hold any expectations when the new empress called for him. He came because he didn’t dare to refuse the call of someone with a high standing.

When he thought about it, the story he’d told wasn’t sincere, but the Empress said, “I believe in you.”

He was puzzled and asked back, “You trust me?”

The empress just smiled and issued a promissory note and gave it to him there and then.

Uva looked at the princess’ beautiful eyes quietly.

“I will definitely succeed.”

No matter what.

Even if he had to walk there.

Lilica spoke cautiously in response to Uva’s words.

“Even so, do take care of yourself.”

Uva smiled.

“I’ll follow your orders.”

“Mm.”

Lilica nodded, and when their conversation ended, Brynn called the attendant appropriately.

Uva greeted Lilica again and followed the attendant to leave the palace. Brynn asked.

“Are you alright, Princess? Giving away that silver coin like that.”

Brynn was also deeply aware of how precious that silver coin was to Lilica.

But the silver coin fell into the hands of someone that seemed to be a swindler.

Setting aside the silver coin, she was worried that Lilica, who trusted him, would have a hard time later.

‘Additionally, it seems like the empress has promised a considerable investment.’

Once this rumour spreads, it would surely become the laughingstock of high society.

Brynn also listened to the story, but it was so dramatic that all of it sounded like a lie.

If this was true, that man was a great man.

The words at the end, about how his friend snatched his stake and he became an unknown and penniless person, sounded too much like a fraud.

Perhaps that’s why others didn’t invest in him.

Lilica nodded.

“It didn’t seem like he’s lying.”

Brynn tilted her head.

“Can you tell if he’s lying or not?”

“That’s not true, but. I just have a kind of feeling.”

Brynn only nodded to the princess that had a serious expression, “I see.”

‘Alright, in any case, it would be better to experience it in person.’

That was what Brynn thought.

* * *

“I heard you were stood up by Atil”

Altheos said that with a grin when Lilica went to work(?) at the office. She pouted.

“I wasn’t stood up by him. His Highness was too busy.”

At Lilica’s words, Altheos looked at her for a moment and murmured.

“Actually, rather than me, what that child needs might be someone like you.”

“What?”

“I’m saying that Atil had been foolish.”

Altheos said that and lowered his gaze to a document.

Lilica stealthily drew closer, placed both hands on the desk and asked.

“Are you worried?”

Lat raised his head at her words. Altheos also turned his gaze towards his adopted daughter.

Lilica tilted her head and asked.

“You seem to be a little worried about something.”

Altheos rested his chin in a palm and glanced at Lilica.

He reached out and pressed his hand on her forehead. Now, she held out quite well.

“I don’t have any worries.”

At his words, Lilica looked at him, wondering if he was speaking the truth. Altheos asked.

“But why?”

“What?”

“Why did you think I was worried?”

“Because you looked worried?”

Once again, Lilica tilted her head in the other direction, pondering about how she should explain. Altheos spoke.

“I thought it’s perfect for wasting time. I’m getting more and more interested, and should I say that it’s making it difficult for me?”

“?”

Lilica didn’t understand, but she listened intently.

When you’re exhausted beyond belief, wasn’t venting your grievances a form of comfort?

Even if she couldn’t do anything else, she was confident about doing that.

Altheos snorted.

“Never mind. Just in time.”

“What—”

Before she could finish her words, there was a knock at the door. Lat got up from his seat and opened the door.

Atil walked in with a report and stopped abruptly.

He stared at Lilica, who was right next to His Majesty’s desk.

Lilica turned around in surprise and greeted him.

“I greet Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

Atil nodded lightly, unable to openly ignore her here.

He turned to Altheos.

“Your Majesty, the report that you’ve asked for is here.”

Lat took the report instead and passed a basket to Atil.

“What’s this?”

“Bring that and take the boat by the lake with her.”

Altheos pushed Lilica’s back as he spoke.